Starting Over
by Gary Oak The Pidgeon
Summary: When Kane makes sure Julie loses her memory, in hopes of reforming her to become his heir, Claire must decide whether it's worth it to let her know of her old life. She also has to face her feelings for Julie, ones that seem will never be answered. Slow build Claire/Julie. Rated T for swearing.


Abraham Kane would make sure that things always went his way, even if he had to go out of his way to do them. He stood by his daughter, noticing how worried she looked. He'd been completely shocked to learn her secret; how could his own daughter do that to him? Once the shock wore off he was angry, to the point where he yelled at all his workers. He apologized earlier for snapping at them, claiming that it had been out of work related stress and nothing else.

"Anything wrong, Julie?" he asked. Abraham Kane sounded calm, as if he didn't expect that his own daughter was working against him. He could tell she was scared, afraid that her precious Burners would be killed by his own Kanebots. He hoped that would happen, then the damn Burners would be gone. "You look distressed."

"I'm just worried," she said. "I'm really, really worried."

"Why?"

"The Burners," she said, then hesitated slightly. It was only for a second, but he saw it, and it seemed he'd never forget it, the thought forever burnt into his mind. "They look like they're doing fine. Wh-what if they do something, Dad?" She looked genuinely afraid, and he wondered why he gave her so much free time to become such a good actress. Once his plan worked, he decided that he'd stuff her schedule with learning how to lead Kane Co. once he was gone.

_You'd probably be happy,_ he thought. _Your precious little Burners will have finally defeated me, your own flesh and blood who loved you and raised you._

"I won't let them," he replied. He put his large hand on her slender shoulder. "I'll see to it that nothing does." He stepped away from her. "I'm going to go mess with it. Don't get too worried about me, alright?"

Julie nodded, and he could see a small amount of relief in her eyes. Inside, he was filled with rage. She was already planning on helping out that group of criminals!

_Don't get angry,_ he thought. _It won't be like this for much longer. After this she'll be how she should be. I'm doing this because I love her._

On command, his Kanebots shot towards the building. He was a safe enough distance from them, but Julie was knocked over, though from his planning there'd be little to no damage other than shock.

After the battle, one that the Burners lost, just barely escaping from Kane in time, Kane went to the Deluxe hospital. Julie was unconscious, being treated by his highest paid and best doctors. They were giving her the medicine that he'd requested.

He'd had his top scientists make the defective robot, enough to look like an accident and not actually harm her. They'd also made the medicine, one that he'd said was crucial. If they failed, he would personally have his scientists disciplined, and he didn't have limits on it.

When she woke up hours later, she was confused. The drug had been strong enough to wipe away a year's worth of memory, just a little over the amount of time she'd started to act strangely. She'd forget the Burners, forget Mike Chilton, and anything that she'd held against him.

_I'm doing this because I care about you, Julie, and I want what's best for you. To think, I nearly killed you multiple times! How could you betray me like this? Well, it doesn't matter now. I'll make sure you never do anything like this again. You'll be the leader of Kane Co. in no time if I can help it._

Her friend Claire had heard the news, and ran inside, tears streaking down her face. For a moment he wondered if she had something to do with the Burners, but then he remembered that she was a respectable young woman. She never got into any trouble, so why unfairly suspect her of it?

"Is she okay?" Claire asked.

"She will be," he replied. "It might be a while before she wakes up, though."

And when she did wake up, she'd forgotten so many things. Though they'd had happy times this year that he regretted her forgetting, he knew that things were better this way.

"Julie," he said. "The Burners attacked you." The news stated that the Burners had found a way to hack into one of his Kanebots and make it attack civilians. This had heated fierce hatred of the Burners, and he would be glad to add more fuel to the fire.

Julie still had memories of the Burners. "Th-they did?"

"Yes," he said. "Earlier today."

"What day is it?"

"July seventeenth."

"Bu-but," she said.

"What?"

"It was just June."

Kane pretended to look concerned, making his face go pale. "Oh Julie, what do you mean? We might need to get the doctors to check you again."

Claire looked distressed. "Julie!"

Once the doctors stated what Kane already knew, he comforted Claire. "I'm sure that we'll get her better."

"I hope so," Claire replied, then began to cry again.

_It's better this way,_ Kane reminded himself. _Soon her best friend won't have to cry._

**Author's Note:** I'm not posting the next chapter until I get five reviews. I don't want another ignored fic. I hope you enjoyed this, and the next few chapters will be longer and from Claire's POV.


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